2015 NFL Preview: Cardinals aim to dethrone Seahawks in NFC West

AFC Previews
BUF | MIA | NE | NYJ
BAL | CIN | CLE | PIT
HOU | IND | JAX | TEN
DEN | KC | OAK | SD
NFC Previews
DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS
CHI | DET | GB | MIN
ATL | CAR | NO | TB
ARI | STL | SF | SEA

Arizona Cardinals

Last season was all about the "next man up" for the Cardinals, who had 21 players miss a combined 109 games due to injuries, including starting quarterback Carson Palmer. Despite the multiple setbacks, they managed to match a franchise high with 11 wins and earn their first playoff berth since 2009. Bruce Arians was named Coach of the Year for the second time in three years.

Highlight of 2014

Wide receiver John Brown caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Palmer with 1:21 left to play in the fourth quarter to give Arizona a 24-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Preseason Power Ranking - #7

The Cardinals would have challenged for the NFC title were it not for Palmer's season-ending knee injury last year. With the veteran signal-caller now healthy, Arizona is in the conversation as one of the league's top overall teams. More...

2015 Season Outlook

Schedule | Roster

Head Coach: Bruce Arians
Off. Coordinator: Harold Goodwin
Def. Coordinator: James Bettcher

The Cardinals parted ways with defensive coordinator Todd Bowles after the 2014 season, promoting former outside linebackers coach James Bettcher as his replacement. Bettcher has said that the defensive scheme will stay largely the same, but there still figures to be some tweaks here and there.

Staying healthy will be key for the Cardinals this season, as they have one of the toughest schedules of any team based on opponents' 2014 records. The latter half is particularly brutal, as it includes two meetings with the Seattle Seahawks, and matchups against the Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, and Green Bay Packers.

Key Additions

• CB Alfonzo Dennard
• DL Corey Peters
• DE Cory Redding
• LB LaMarr Woodley
• LB Sean Weatherspoon
• OG Mike Iupati
• OT D.J. Humphries (1st round)

Key Departures

• CB Antonio Cromartie
• DE Darnell Dockett
• NT Dan Williams
• OG Paul Fanaika
• WR Ted Ginn

The departures of Cromartie, Dockett, and Williams left some big holes in Arizona's defense, but the team added several proven veterans to help offset those losses. Peters and Alameda Ta'amu will share duties at nose tackle, while Jerraud Powers will serve as Cromartie's replacement at cornerback.

Not much has changed on the offensive side of the ball, though the Cardinals did give their run game a big boost by snatching the Pro-Bowl guard Iupati away from the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. The first-round pick Humphries still has a ways to go in his development, but could be in line for a starting job with Bobby Massie facing a three-game suspension.

Bold Predictions

Bruce Arians will win back-to-back Coach of the Year honors. Arians took home the award in 2012 after leading the Colts to the playoffs as interim bench boss during Chuck Pagano's cancer fight, and again last season after taking the Cardinals to the postseason despite multiple quarterback injuries. He'll prove beyond a doubt he's the NFL's best coach this year and take home an unprecedented third COY award in four seasons. - David P. Woods

The Cardinals' leader in receiving yards will not be named Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown, or Michael Floyd. Age and injury are what make this prediction palatable. John Brown catches bombs but would struggle in an expanded role, Fitzgerald is a shell of his former self, and Michael Floyd is already injured. J.J. Nelson, anyone? - Joe Thomson

Patrick Peterson will lead the NFL in interceptions. After his Type 2 diabetes caused him to gain weight early last season, Patrick Peterson has slimmed down ahead of the 2015 campaign. Getting his diabetes under control should see him recapture the quickness that has long made him one of the league's top corners, and Arizona's strong offensive attack should force opponents to air it out in an effort to keep pace. - Dan Wilkins